AR/VR IN
MUSEUMs
Written by | Jichen Zhu
AR In Museum:
Augmented reality is the process of using technology to superimpose images, text or sound on top of what people already see. It uses a smartphone or tablet to alter an existing picture through an app. Users stand in front of a scene, holding up their devices. It will show them a changed reality. Museums can use augmented reality in a number of ways. More and more museums are using augmented reality, so how are they using augmented reality? There are many possibilities for using augmented reality in museums. The most straightforward way is to use it to add an explanation of the fragment. This means that visitors can get more information when viewing exhibitions using augmented reality. Museums can even use it to display digital versions of artists' works next to them. These 3D personas provide a narrative. Augmented reality gives us the opportunity to add a third dimension to the display, to make objects or scenes come alive. Many organizations around the world are already using augmented reality. These projects bring something new to existing collections and appeal to a wider audience. Here are some interesting ways museums are using augmented reality.
With augmented reality, museums can reach a whole new level of interaction and help you rediscover the world. While many museums still adhere to the "walk and see" approach, some museums want to keep up with the times and seek new opportunities to enhance the visitor experience. One of the best things they can do these days is to implement augmented reality.
Let's look at some examples of AR museums:
Cleveland Museum of Art
This is one of the most technologically advanced museums using AR technology. The Cleveland Museum of Art perfectly combines and balances the latest AR and motion capture technologies to maximize the use of its art and crafts. It can boast interactive AR ceramic-making booths and digital painting canvases that won't leave children or adults indifferent.
Video Source: Cleveland Museum of Art
Video Source: Alex Mayhew
The Art
Gallery of Ontario
In July 2017, AGO collaborated with digital artist Alex Mayhew to create an AR installation called ReBlink. Mayhew redesigned some of the existing collections. This gives visitors a chance to see them in a new light. Visitors use their phones or tablets to watch the objects come to life and be transported to our 21st-century reality. By using augmented reality in this project, the artist hopes to turn the technology into an engaging way rather than a distraction. The aim of the exhibition is to use the app to make people look up, not down.
VR In Museum:
Traditionally, art appreciation is exclusive and often expensive. It requires some planning and organization and often involves travel. The same goes for visiting major natural history or science museums. Museum visitors often encounter long lines, crowded rooms, and ruthless tour guides. A lot of times, they may only have a few seconds at a time at each exhibit and not even see what they are most looking forward to. In addition to creating these difficulties for the public, this model actually contradicts the museum's goal of spreading knowledge and art to as many people as possible. Virtual reality can both alleviate these problems and take the museum's mission to the next level. The medium has been praised for its ability to recreate spaces, remote destinations or places that no longer exist, and transport viewers there simply by donning a VR headset. In this way, even people with limited mobility can now access the world's best collections without leaving their homes.
Let's look at some examples of VR museums:
The Louvre
Paris, France
The Louvre is the largest and probably the most popular museum in the world. It is famous mainly because it was the site of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", which attracted millions of people before the Covid-19 pandemic. Art lovers can now explore the iconic Louvre by visiting its corridors in virtual reality.
Video Source: HTC VIVE
Video Source: Tate
Tate Modern, London
In the UK, London's Tate Modern is also embracing the VR trend. In addition to the 2017/18 Modigliani retrospective, they also put on an engaging VR exhibition. Visitors can be fully immersed in the 3D models of the artist's Paris studio. The exhibition uses an actual studio space as a template. The room still exists, but not as it was then. After painstaking research, the museum has faithfully reconstructed the artist's last studio, just as it was 100 years ago.